Reading the Vampire Academy Books
by booklion4
Summary: The vampire academy characters read the vampire academy books. This takes place in Spirit Bound after Rose visits Dimitri in jail. Don't forget to R&R.
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N I know that this has been done before but I thought I'd give it a whack. _****__****Disclaimer****_: I don't own anything in italics._**

**POV: Dimitri's **

**I heard someone coming down the hallway to my cell. Who could it be? Not Rose. Hopefully. "Let me talk to him! Now!" said my own personal saviour, Lissa.**

**"****No, we have orders." **

**"****Well, what is this?" I hear a rustle of paper, "New order!" My cell was unlocked and Lissa leads me outside. The sun. I missed it. Lissa leads me to a meeting room across court. I opened the door and saw Rose, Christian, Adrian, Mia, Eddie, Janine, Abe, Viktoria, Sonya, Karolina, and my mother. They hear the door open and all look up. **

**"****Dimka?" says my little sister. She looked at me afraid at what she will find, she must like what she sees because she starts sobbing and throws herself onto me.**

**"****Huh. I told you. What did you think that I would lie to you?" I looked up and see Rose trying to look annoyed but failing because of the smile on her lips. I disconnect Viktoria from myself and look over at Rose. **

**"****You flew my family out?"**

**"****Yes, your welcome." I didn't feel like starting an argument with her so I just changed the subject. **

**I asked, "What are we doing here?" She gestured to the crate on the table.**

**"****We are reading my diaries."**

**"****What?"**

**"****Every girl keeps a diary and we will be reading all of mine from the day Lissa and I were dragged back to Vladimirs." I justs nodded.**

**"****Okay guys, which one do you want to start with or do you want to go in chronological order?" I sat down in between Sonya and Viktoria, furthest away from Rose as I could manage.**

**"****Wow, Rose, big word," Christian jibbed. I think he was trying to lesion the tension in the room. Rose rolled her eyes and flipped him off. She laid out four books- Vampire Academy, Frost Bite, Shadow Kiss, and Blood Promise. She was holding onto one- Spirit Bound. She noticed me looking at the book and said,**

**"****This diary isn't finished yet but we can read it, if you want." I just shook my head and picked up the first one: Vampire Academy.**

**"****Who wants to read first?" Everyone looks at Rose. She just shrugges and puts her hands up to catch the book. I toss it expertly to her and she opens the book to the first chapter.**

**_I felt her fear before I heard her screams_**

**Rose looked up and smirked at Lissa and went back to reading.**

**_Her nightmare pulsed into me shaking me out of my own dream, which had something to do with a beach and some hot guy rubbing suntan oil on me._**

**Christian snorts and I look over at him. "Only Rose," he said, "Only Rose." Rose gave him the look and he shut up.**

**_Images-hers, not mine- tumbled through my mind :fire and blood the smell of smoke, the twisted metal of a car._**

**Rose shivered and leaned into Lissa.**

**_The pictures wrapped around me, suffocating me, until some rational part of my brain reminded me that this wasn't my dream. I woke up, strands of long, dark hair sticking to my forehead. Lissa lay in her bed, thrashing and screaming. I bolted out of mine, quickly crossing the few feet the separated us._**

**Everyone had gone eerie silent.**

**"****_Liss," I said, shaking her. "Liss, wake up." Her screams dropped replaced by soft whimpers, "Andre," she moaned. "Oh God." I helped her sit up "Liss, you aren't there anymore. Wake up." After a few moments her eyes fluttered open and in the dim lighting I could see a flicker of consciousness start to take over. Her frantic breaths slowed and she leaned into me, resting her head against my shoulder. I put an arm around her and ran a hand over her hair._**

**Lissa shivered and Christian pulled her tight against him whispering soothing things in the ear. "Get a room," yelled about half the room that consisted of Rose, Adrian, Eddie, and Viktoria. Christian smirked and winked and Lissa blushed. Rose put them out of their misery by starting to read again.**

**"****_Its okay," I told her gently, "Everythings okay." "I had that dream." "Yeah. I know."_**

**Rose paused and looked up at Lissa with longing in her eyes. Lissa only said, "I know Rose. Me too."**

**_We sat like that for several minutes, not saying anything else. When I felt her emotions calm down, I leaned over to the nightstand between our beds and turned on the lamp. It glowed dimly, but neither of us really needed much light to see by._**

**Christian snorted, cutting Rose off. "Do we really need to read everything we know?" Rose replied to Christin's comment with- "I haven't even started with the recap of the world yet." Christian asked the same question again. I was getting annoyed. All I really wanted to do was find out about Rose's pov of all our adventures. Wow, new emotion I had forgotten about, annoyance. Rose answered impatiently, "I wrote the diaries as if you could go to the store and buy it as a book." With all that settled she got back to reading.**

**_Attracted by the light, our housemate's cat, Oscar, leapt up onto the sill of the open window._**

**Lisa smiled fondly. "I remember that cat, such a good kitty." "Yeah, to you." Rose replied with a smile on those perfect lips. **

**_He gave me a wide berth- animals don't like dhampirs,_**

**"****Rose, nobody likes you." Christian cracked another witty line that Rose respond to just as witty. "Yes they do, remember Sparky, I'm keeping your girlfriend sane."**

**_for whatever reason- but jumped onto the bed and rubbed his head against Lissa, purring softl_****y. ****_Animals didn't have a problem with Moroi, and they all loved Lissa in particular. Smiling, she scratched his chin and I felt her calm further. "When did we last do a feeding?" I asked studying her face._**

**Rose's parents gasped in shock and everyone but me, Christian, Lissa, and Rose's jaw dropped. Rose could see everyone was about to have a cow so she continued reading.**

**_Her fair skin was paler than usual. Dark circles hng under her eyes and there was an air of fragility about her. School had been hectic this week and I couldn't remember the last time I'd given her blood. "Its been like… more than two days, hasn't it? Three? Why didn't you say anything?" She shrugged and wouldn't meet my eyes. "You were busy, I didn't want to-" "Screw that," I said, shifting into a better position. No wonder she seemed so weak. Oscar, not wanting me any closer, lept down and returned to the window where he could watch a safe distance. "Come one. Lets do this." _**

**I winced knowing what was coming. Lissa was going to drink from Rose just like I did. Viktoria looked over at my facial expression. I stood up and excused myself, I walked into the kitchen. What was wrong with me? I didn't love Rose anymore. Or did I? Ahh this was so confusing. After I got my feelings in check I walked back into the main room. I guess I missed some of the story because right now the girls were trying to escape.**

**_-screeching halt and I jerked Lissa back by her arm. It was him, the guys I'd seen across the street watching me._**

**I'm getting the feeling this is me. I voiced my thoughts. "Is this me?" I asked no one. Rose looked up surprised then snapped on her guardian mask, though I could see through it. She put on her smile that could make me fall to their knees in front of her and said, "You'll have to wait and see."**

**_He was older than us, maybe mid-twenties and as tall as I figured, probably six-six or six-seven. And under different circumstances- say, when he wasn't holding up our desperate escape- I would have thought he was hot._**

**Christian snorted; all of my sisters burst out laughing; Eddie smirked; Adrian, Janine, Abe, and Mia just shook their heads. As this story progressed I was starting to loosen up so I rolled my eyes. Rose caught that and yelled, "OMG Dimitri rolled his eyes!" This causing another eye roll "Are you drunk?" I asked. "Don't I wish," she echoed from a conversation that we had right before the lust charm. God, I thought, I hope that isn't in these 'diaries' **

**_Shoulder length brown hair, tied back in a short ponytail. Dark brown eyes. A long brown coat- a duster, I thought_**

**I stared, surprise she knew the technical term for my coat. "Don't look at me like that!" she huffed. Before I could play dumb she started reading again. **

**_But his hotness was irrelevant now. He was the only obstacle keeping Lissa and me away from the car our freedom. The footsteps behind us slowed, and I knew our pursuers had caught up. Off to the sides, I detected more movement, more people closing in. _**

**"****Good, Rose, very good." Janine was nodding approvingly to Rose. Rose started to glow with the compliment from her mother.**

**_God. They'd sent almost a dozen guardians to retrieve us. I couldn't believe it. The queen herself didn't travel with that many. Panicked and not entirely in control of my higher reasoning, I acted out of instinct. I pressed up to Lissa, keeping her behind me and away from the man who appeared to be their leader._**

**Janine complimented Rose again and she blushed. Rose Hathaway actually blushed. Last time I saw her blush she was laying next to me in the cabin. Pressed skin to skin-. No stop, I told myself, I don't love Rose. But don't you? When I finally ascended out of my thoughts I noticed I missed some more of the story, again.**

**_-Probably just intended to keep me away- but my lack of coordination interfered with my ability to respond. Unable to catch my footing, I started to fall, heading straight toward the sidewalk at a twisted angle, hip-first. It was going to hurt, a lot. Only it didn't. Just as quickly as he'd blocked me, the man reached out and caught my arm, keeping me upright. When I'd steadied myself I noticed he was staring at me- or, more precisely, my neck._**

**Rose flushed, obsessively embarrassed that she let Lissa (and me) feed off her. Karoline spoke up, "It's okay, Rose, the ephordines are very hard to get out of your system and very easy to get addicted to. Trust me, I would know." Karoline said this kind of guilty but I was wondering when she'd let someone drink from her. Rose looked equally surprised and thankful that she was not the only one that was in that position. Rose started to read again per Karoline's request.**

**_Still disoriented, I didn't get it right away. Then slowly, my free hand reached up to the side of my throat and lightly touched the wound Lissa had made earlier. When I pulled my fingers back, I saw slick, dark blood on my skin. Embarrassed, I shook my hair so that it fell around my face. My hair was thick and long and completely covered my neck. I'd grown it out for precisely this reason._**

**Sure, I thought, that was why you grew it out. It wasn't because I loved running my fingers through it and asked you not to cut it. Rose seemed to be thinking the same thing because her eyes caught mine. Her dark eyes that was exactly the color of melted dark chocolate. I wanted to get lost in those eyes. I looked away first, breaking the spell. I saw hurt flash before her eyes but to cover it she continued reading. **

**_The guy's dark eyes lingered on the now-covered bite a moment longer and then met mine. I returned his look definitely and quickly jerked out of his hold. He let me go, though I knew he could have restrained me all night if he'd wanted. Fighting the nauseating dizziness, I backed toward Lissa again bracing myself for another attack. Suddenly, her hand caught hold of mine. "Rose," she said quietly, "Don't." Her words had no effect of me at first, but calming thoughts gradually began to settle in my mind, coming across though the bond. It wasn't exactly compulsion-she wouldn't use that on me-but it was effectual, as was the fact that we were hopelessly outnumbered and outclassed. Even I knew struggling would be pointless. The tension left my body, and I sagged in defeat. Sensing my resignation, the man stepped forward, the man stepped forward, turning his attention to Lissa. His face was calm. He swept her a bow and managed to look graceful doing it, which surprised me considering his height. "My name is Dimitri Belikov," he said. I could hear a faint Russian accent. "I've come to take you back to St. Vladimir's Academy, Princess."_**

**Rose threw the book on the coffee table but not before putting an index card in it to hold her spot. "Lets get something to eat then we can continue?" Rose suggested this and everyone thought that was a good idea. My mother spoke up, "Who wants to read next?" Lissa volunteered and we went to get something to eat leaving the diary to wait until we get back.**

**_A/N So what do we think? I was thinking to do the next chapter in Rose's pov? What do you think? Please review. Should I continue the story? This took me forever! _**


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N I knew ideas for drabbles/stories for TMI and VA. _****__****Disclaimer:****_I don't own Vampire Academy_**

**Pov: Rose Hathaway**

**After getting something to eat, with the tension between Dimitri and I so thick you could cut it with a butter knife, we started to head back to the meeting room. After we go through the first chapter I thought Dimitri would lighten up a little. It wasn't like I expected him to profess his undying love for me or anything but I was hoping to get a reaction out of him. These diaries were my last ditch effort to try and show him how my love for him never wavered. We settled ourselves back in the meeting room with Dimitri sitting in the middle of Karolina and Olena on the small couch. On the large couch sat my mother, my father, Lissa, Christian, and Sonya. On the loveseat sat Viktoria and me with Adrian sitting on the ground by my feet. Eddie and Mia ditched after lunch to go do 'work'. If you ask me they bailed for sex. They kind of had a thing for each other. I picked up Vampire Academy and gave it to Lissa since she can't catch at all. She started to read.**

**_My hatred, notwithstanding, I had to admit Dimitri Beli-whatever was pretty smart. After they'd carted us off to the airport to and onto the Academy's private jet, he'd taken one look at the two of us whispering and ordered us separated. "Don't let them talk to each other," he warned the guardian who escorted me to the back of the plane. "Five minutes together, and they will come up with an escape plan." I shot him a haughty look and stormed down the aisle. Never mind we had been planning an escape plan._**

**"****Of course you were, Rose." Christian decided to interrupt at this exact moment when I was questioning if reading my most personal thought out loud was a good idea. I responded with a snappy retort. Hey, what could I say? I was Rose Hathaway**

**"****Well, What would you do in my position, Mr. Bright Ideas?" He put his hands up in surrender.**

**_As it was, things didn't look good for our heroes—or heroines, rather. Once we were in the air, our odds of escape dropped further. Even supposing a miracle occurred and I did manage to take out all ten guardians, we'd sort of have a problem in getting off the plane. I figured they might have parachutes aboard somewhere, but in the unlikely event I'd be able to operate one, there was still that little issue of survival, seeing as we'd probably land somewhere in the Rocky Mountains._**

**_No, we weren't getting off this plane until it landed in backwoods Montana. I'd have to think of something then, something that involved getting past the Academy's magical wards and ten times as many guardians. Yeah. No problem._**

**_Although Lissa sat at the front with the Russian guy, her fear sang back to me, pounding inside my head like a hammer. My concern for her cut into my fury. They couldn't take her back there, not to that place. I wondered if Dimitri might have hesitated if he could feel what I did and if he knew what I knew. Probably not. He didn't care._**

**Dimitri looked offended and said "Of course I cared." I nodded like sure you did, you just wanted to make us as embarrassed as possible as punishment. Well, how 'bout this buddy? I don't care anymore. I nodded for Lissa to keep reading. **

**_As it was, her emotions grew so strong that for a moment, I had the disorienting sensation of sitting in her seat—in her skin even. It happened sometimes, and without much warning, she'd pull me right into her head. Dimitri's tall frame sat beside me, and my hand—her hand—gripped a bottle of water. He leaned forward to pick up something, revealing six tiny symbols tattooed on the back of his neck: molnija marks. They looked like two streaks of jagged lightning crossing in an X symbol. One for each Strigoi he'd killed. Above them was a twisting line, sort of like a snake, that marked him as a guardian. The promise mark._**

**_Blinking, I fought against her and shifted back into my own head with a grimace. I hated when that happened. Feeling Lissa's emotions was one thing, but slipping into her was something we both despised. She saw it as an invasion of privacy, so I usually didn't tell her when it happened. Neither of us could control it. It was another effect of the bond, a bond neither of us fully understood. Legends existed about psychic links between guardians and their Moroi, but the stories had never mentioned anything like this. We fumbled through it as best we could._**

**I nodded my head thinking of all of Christian and Lissa's late night activities. Lissa looked outraged. "You didn't tell me. You promised!"**

**I knew that Lisa was freaking out because of the darkness so I absorbed it and said, "Lissa, I didn't tell you because I didn't want you freaking out or worrying." She just nodded her head and went back to reading.**

**_Near the end of the flight, Dimitri walked back to where I sat and traded places with the guardian beside me. I pointedly turned away, staring out the window absentmindedly Several moments of silence passed. Finally, he said, "Were you really going to attack all of us?"_**

**_I didn't answer._**

**_"Doing that…protecting her like that—it was very brave." He paused. "Stupid, but still brave. Why did you even try it?"_**

**_I glanced over at him, brushing my hair out of my face so I could look him levelly in the eye. "Because I'm her guardian." I turned back toward the window._**

**_After another quiet moment, he stood up and returned to the front of the jet._**

**Adrian looked up at me from the ground and just stared then looked away from me again. I had no idea what that was about but if I had to guess, he was reading my arua. Dimitri's family has been silent other than conversing in tones that I could hear but turned out to give them a moment.**

**_When we landed, Lissa and I had no choice but to let the commandos drive us out to the Academy. Our car stopped at the gate, and our driver spoke with guards who verified we weren't Strigoi about to go off on a killing spree. After a minute, they let us pass on through the wards and up to the Academy itself. It was around sunset—the start of the vampiric day—and the campus lay wrapped in shadows._**

**_It probably looked the same, sprawling and gothic. The Moroi were big on tradition; nothing ever changed with them. This school wasn't as old as the ones back in Europe, but it had been built in the same style. The buildings boasted elaborate, almost churchlike architecture, with high peaks and stone carvings. Wrought iron gates enclosed small gardens and doorways here and there. After living on a college campus, I had a new appreciation for just how much this place resembled a university more than a typical high school._**

**_We were on the secondary campus, which was divided into lower and upper schools. Each was built around a large open quadrangle decorated with stone paths and enormous, century-old trees. We were going toward the upper school's quad, which had academic buildings on one side, while dhampir dormitories and the gym sat opposite. Moroi dorms sat on one of the other ends, and opposite them were the administrative buildings that also served the lower school. Younger students lived on the primary campus, farther to the west._**

**_Around all the campuses was space, space, and more space. We were in Montana, after all, miles away from any real city. The air felt cool in my lungs and smelled of pine and wet, decaying leaves. Overgrown forests ringed the perimeters of the Academy, and during the day, you could see mountains rising up in the distance._**

**_As we walked into the main part of the upper school, I broke from my guardian and ran up to Dimitri._**

**_"Hey, Comrade."_**

**Viktoria grinned and said, "So how did you come up with that ridiculous nickname?" I told her it was in the books and she leaned forward a bit.**

**_He kept walking and wouldn't look at me. "You want to talk now?_**

**_"Are you taking us to Kirova?"_**

**_"Headmistress Kirova," he corrected. On the other side of him, Lissa shot me a look that said, Don't start something._**

**_"Headmistress. Whatever. She's still a self-righteous old bit—"_**

**_My words faded as the guardians led us through a set of doors-straight into the commons. I sighed. Were these people really so cruel? There had to be at least a dozen ways to get to Kirova's office, and they were taking us right through the center of the commons._**

**_And it was breakfast time._**

**_Novice guardians—dhampirs like me—and Moroi sat together, eating and socializing, faces alight with whatever current gossip held the Academy's attention. When we entered, the loud buzz of conversation stopped instantly, like someone had flipped a switch. Hundreds of sets of eyes swiveled toward us._**

**_I returned the stares of my former classmates with a lazy grin, trying to get a sense as to whether things had changed. Nope. Didn't seem like it. Camille Conta still looked like the prim, perfectly groomed bitch I remembered, still the self-appointed leader of the Academy's royal Moroi cliques. Off to the side, Lissa's gawky near-cousin Natalie watched with wide eyes, as innocent and naïve as before._**

**Lissa and I grinned at each other remembering Natalie and all her awkwardness before Dimitri staked her.**

**_And on the other side of the room…well, that was interesting. Aaron. Poor, poor Aaron, who'd no doubt had his heart broken when Lissa left. He still looked as cute as ever—maybe more so now—with those same golden looks that complemented hers so well. His eyes followed her every move. Yes. Definitely not over her. It was sad, really, because Lissa had never really been all that into him. I think she'd gone out with him simply because it seemed like the expected thing to do._**

**_But what I found most interesting was that Aaron had apparently found a way to pass the time without her. Beside him, holding his hand, was a Moroi girl who looked about eleven but had to be older, unless he'd become a pedophile during our absence. With plump little cheeks and blond ringlets, she looked like a porcelain doll. A very pissed off and evil porcelain doll. She gripped his hand tightly and shot Lissa a look of such burning hatred that it stunned me. What the hell was that all about? She was no one I knew. Just a jealous girlfriend, I guessed. I'd be pissed too if my guy was watching someone else like that._**

**_Our walk of shame mercifully ended, though our new setting—Headmistress Kirova's office—didn't really improve things. The old hag looked exactly like I remembered, sharp-nosed and gray-haired. She was tall and slim, like most Moroi, and had always reminded me of a vulture. I knew her well because I'd spent a lot of time in her office._**

**_Most of our escorts left us once Lissa and I were seated, and I felt a little less like a prisoner. Only Alberta, the captain of the school's guardians, and Dimitri stayed. They took up positions along the wall, looking stoic and terrifying, just as their job description required._**

**_Kirova fixed her angry eyes on us and opened her mouth to begin what would no doubt be a major bitch session. A deep, gentle voice stopped her._**

**_"Vasilisa."_**

**Lissa, Dimitri, Christian, and I all flinched and grimaced knowing who said that.**

**_Startled, I realized there was someone else in the room. I hadn't noticed. Careless for a guardian, even a novice one._**

**My mother said, who had been silent along with my father most of this, "Really Rose? I thought you were top of your class." That was a line crossed and my feeble self control snapped.**

**"****Are you kidding me? Top of my class? I could have half of this room down in the time it could take you to stand up! You saw me at trials! I kicked ass! You have no right to say that when you didn't visit until I was 17! If you wanted me to be better, and I'm not even sure that is possible, then you should have trained me!" I sat back down panting and nodded to Lissa to keep reading. She did but hesitantly**

**_With a great deal of effort, Victor Dashkov rose from a corner chair. Prince Victor Dashkov. Lissa sprang up and ran to him, throwing her arms around his frail body._**

**_"Uncle," she whispered. She sounded on the verge of tears as she tightened her grip._**

**_With a small smile, he gently patted her back. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you safe, Vasilisa." He looked toward me. "And you too, Rose."_**

**_I nodded back, trying to hide how shocked I was. He'd been sick when we left, but this—this was horrible. He was Natalie's father, only about forty or so, but he looked twice that age. Pale. Withered. Hands shaking. My heart broke watching him. With all the horrible people in the world, it didn't seem fair that this guy should get a disease that was going to kill him young and ultimately keep him from becoming king._**

**_Although not technically her uncle—the Moroi used family terms very loosely, especially the royals—Victor was a close friend of Lissa's family and had gone out of his way to help her after her parents had died. I liked him; he was the first person I was happy to see here._**

**_Kirova let them have a few more moments and then stiffly drew Lissa back to her seat._**

**_Time for the lecture._**

**No one dare interrupt knowing that I was on the verge of ripping their heads off.**

**_It was a good one—one of Kirova's best, which was saying something. She was a master at them. I swear that was the only reason she'd gone into school administration, because I had yet to see any evidence of her actually liking kids. The rant covered the usual topics: responsibility reckless behavior, self-centeredness…Bleh. I immediately found myself spacing out, alternatively pondering the logistics of escaping through the window in her office._**

**_But when the tirade shifted to me—well, that was when I tuned back in._**

**_"You, Miss Hathaway, broke the most sacred promise among our kind: the promise of a guardian to protect a Moroi. It is a great trust. A trust that you violated by selfishly taking the princess away from here. The Strigoi would love to finish off the Dragomirs; you nearly enabled them to do it."_**

**_"Rose didn't kidnap me." Lissa spoke before I could, her voice and face calm, despite her uneasy feelings. "I wanted to go. Don't blame her."_**

**_Ms. Kirova tsked at us both and paced the office, hands folded behind her narrow back._**

**_"Miss Dragomir, you could have been the one who orchestrated the entire plan for all I know, but it was still her responsibility to make sure you didn't carry it out. If she'd done her duty, she would have notified someone. If she'd done her duty, she would have kept you safe."_**

**_I snapped._**

**As we all know I have horrible control. For those of you who don't know you do.**

**_"I did do my duty!" I shouted, jumping up from my chair. Dimitri and Alberta both flinched but left me alone since I wasn't trying to hit anyone. Yet. "I did keep her safe! I kept her safe when none of you"—I made a sweeping gesture around the room—"could do it. I took her away to protect her. I did what I had to do. You certainly weren't going to."_**

**_Through the bond, I felt Lissa trying to send me calming messages, again urging me not to let anger get the best of me. Too late._**

**_Kirova stared at me, her face blank. "Miss Hathaway, forgive me if I fail to see the logic of how taking her out of a heavily guarded, magically secured environment is protecting her. Unless there's something you aren't telling us?"_**

**_I bit my lip._**

**_"I see. Well, then. By my estimation, the only reason you left—aside from the novelty of it, no doubt—was to avoid the consequences of that horrible, destructive stunt you pulled just before your disappearance."_**

**_"No, that's not—"_**

**_"And that only makes my decision that much easier. As a Moroi, the princess must continue on here at the Academy for her own safety, but we have no such obligations to you. You will be sent away as soon as possible."_**

**_My cockiness dried up. "I…what?"_**

**_Lissa stood up beside me. "You can't do that! She's my guardian."_**

**_"She is no such thing, particularly since she isn't even a guardian at all. She's still a novice."_**

**_"But my parents—"_**

**_"I know what your parents wanted, God rest their souls, but things have changed. Miss Hathaway is expendable. She doesn't deserve to be a guardian, and she will leave."_**

**_I stared at Kirova, unable to believe what I was hearing. "Where are you going to send me? To my mom in Nepal? Did she even know I was gone? Or maybe you'll send me off to my father?"_**

**Both of my parents winced and I didn't even care, I stared at Dimitri. He was always a calming presence when I was pissed, even if I was pissed at him too.**

**_Her eyes narrowed at the bite in that last word. When I spoke again, my voice was so cold, I barely recognized it._**

**_"Or maybe you're going to try to send me off to be a blood whore. Try that, and we'll be gone by the end of the day."_**

**_"Miss Hathaway," she hissed, "you are out of line."_**

**_"They have a bond." Dimitri's low, accented voice broke the heavy tension, and we all turned toward him. I think Kirova had forgotten he was there, but I hadn't. His presence was way too powerful to ignore. He still stood against the wall, looking like some sort of cowboy sentry in that ridiculous long coat of his. He looked at me, not Lissa, his dark eyes staring straight through me. "Rose knows what Vasilisa is feeling. Don't you?"_**

**_I at least had the satisfaction of seeing Kirova caught off guard as she glanced between us and Dimitri. "No…that's impossible. That hasn't happened in centuries."_**

**_"It's obvious," he said. "I suspected as soon as I started watching them."_**

**_Neither Lissa nor I responded, and I averted my eyes from his._**

**_"That is a gift," murmured Victor from his corner. "A rare and wonderful thing."_**

**I was so close to just screaming out "No one cares what you think bitch! My god!" But I didn't.**

**_The best guardians always had that bond," added Dimitri. "In the stories."_**

**_Kirova's outrage returned. "Stories that are centuries old," she exclaimed. "Surely you aren't suggesting we let her stay at the Academy after everything she's done?"_**

**_He shrugged. "She might be wild and disrespectful, but if she has potential—"_**

**_"Wild and disrespectful?" I interrupted. "Who the hell are you anyway? Outsourced help?"_**

**_"Guardian Belikov is the princess's guardian now," said Kirova. "Her sanctioned guardian."_**

**_"You got cheap foreign labor to protect Lissa?"_**

**_That was pretty mean of me to say—particularly since most Moroi and their guardians were of Russian or Romanian descent—but the comment seemed cleverer at the time than it really was. And it wasn't like I was one to talk. I might have been raised in the U.S., but my parents were foreign-born. My dhampir mother was Scottish—red-haired, with a ridiculous accent—and I'd been told my Moroi dad was Turkish. That genetic combination had given me skin the same color as the inside of an almond, along with what I liked to think were semi-exotic desert-princess features: big dark eyes and hair so deep brown that it usually looked black. I wouldn't have minded inheriting the red hair, but we take what we get._**

**I was kind of glad that I didn't have red hair since Dimitri loves- well loved- my hair. I should probably get it cut since he was so indifferent now.**

**_Kirova threw her hands up in exasperation and turned to him. "You see? Completely undisciplined! All the psychic bonds and very raw potential in the world can't make up for that. A guardian without discipline is worse than no guardian."_**

**_"So teach her discipline. Classes just started. Put her back in and get her training again."_**

**_"Impossible. She'll still be hopelessly behind her peers."_**

**_"No, I won't," I argued. No one listened to me._**

**_"Then give her extra training sessions," he said._**

**_They continued on while the rest of us watched the exchange like it was a Ping-Pong game. My pride was still hurt over the ease with which Dimitri had tricked us, but it occurred to me that he might very well keep me here with Lissa. Better to stay at this hellhole than be without her. Through our bond, I could feel her trickle of hope._**

**_"Who's going to put in the extra time?" demanded Kirova. "You?"_**

**_Dimitri's argument came to an abrupt stop. "Well, that's not what I—"_**

**Dimitri's mother started to chastise him for not being willing to take in a new student. I interpreted, "No, Olena, no. I am a bad child and I swear that the only respon your son took me on was because he wanted to prove something."**

**Dimitri commented, "Actually I took you on because you were protective of Lissa and had the makings of a great guardian," he turned back to his mother, "It is true that she is bad. When I volunteered to mentor her I got sympathetic looks for a week."**

**_Kirova crossed her arms with satisfaction. "Yes. That's what I thought."_**

**_Clearly at a loss, he frowned. His eyes flicked toward Lissa and me, and I wondered what he saw. Two pathetic girls, looking at him with big, pleading eyes? Or two runaways who'd broken out of a high-security school and swiped half of Lissa's inheritance?_**

**_"Yes," he said finally. "I can mentor Rose. I'll give her extra sessions along with her normal ones."_**

**_"And then what?" retorted Kirova angrily. "She goes unpunished?"_**

**_"Find some other way to punish her," answered Dimitri. "Guardian numbers have gone down too much to risk losing another. A girl, in particular."_**

**_His unspoken words made me shudder, reminding me of my earlier statement about "blood whores." Few dhampir girls became guardians anymore._**

**_Victor suddenly spoke up from his corner. "I'm inclined to agree with Guardian Belikov. Sending Rose away would be a shame, a waste of talent."_**

**_Ms. Kirova stared out her window. It was completely black outside. With the Academy's nocturnal schedule, morning and afternoon were relative terms. That, and they kept the windows tinted to block out excess light._**

**_When she turned back around, Lissa met her eyes. "Please, Ms. Kirova. Let Rose stay."_**

**_Oh, Lissa, I thought. Be careful. Using compulsion on another Moroi was dangerous—particularly in front of witnesses. But Lissa was only using a tiny bit, and we needed all the help we could get. Fortunately, no one seemed to realize what was happening._**

**_I don't even know if the compulsion made a difference, but finally, Kirova sighed._**

**_"If Miss Hathaway stays, here's how it will be." She turned to me. "Your continued enrollment at St. Vladimir's is strictly probationary. Step out of line once, and you're gone. You will attend all classes and required trainings for novices your age. You will also train with Guardian Belikov in every spare moment you have—before and after classes. Other than that, you are banned from all social activities, except meals, and will stay in your dorm. Fail to comply with any of this, and you will be sent…away."_**

**_I gave a harsh laugh. "Banned from all social activities? Are you trying to keep us apart?" I nodded toward Lissa. "Afraid we'll run away again?"_**

**_"I'm taking precautions. As I'm sure you recall, you were never properly punished for destroying school property. You have a lot to make up for." Her thin lips tightened into a straight line. "You are being offered a very generous deal. I suggest you don't let your attitude endanger it."_**

**_I started to say it wasn't generous at all, but then I caught Dimitri's gaze. It was hard to read. He might have been telling me he believed in me. He might have been telling me I was an idiot to keep fighting with Kirova. I didn't know._**

**_Looking away from him for the second time during the meeting, I stared at the floor, conscious of Lissa beside me and her own encouragement burning in our bond. At long last, I exhaled and glanced back up at the headmistress._**

**_"Fine. I accept."_**

**Adrian picked up the book and started chapter three with, "Chapter three…"**

**A/N Should I do Dimitri or Rose pov? Fair warning Dimitri takes alittle longer. I also need drabble ideas for both VA and TMI so just put those in the reviews.**


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while I was at camp R&R Disclaimer: I don't own VA. P.S. I need prompts for my drabbles._

Adrian started with a dramatic, "Chapter 3…"

_SENDING US STRAIGHT TO CLASS after our meeting seemed beyond cruel, but that's exactly what Kirova did. Lissa was led away, and I watched her go, glad the bond would allow me to keep reading her emotional temperature._

_They actually sent me to one of the guidance counselors first. He was an ancient Moroi guy, one I remembered from before I'd left. I honestly couldn't believe he was still around. The guy was so freaking old, he should have retired. Or died._

Christian burst out laughing and Abe started to stand. "I should be going now," Abe said, "I have some business to attend to." That left us with my family, Rose, Lissa, Adrian, Christian, and Rose's mom. It was true, I thought, the counselor was older but I wouldn't say it the same way Rose did. How would I say it?... By the time I came out of my mind thinking about that stupid cabin, Adrian had collected himself and had continued reading.

_Walking behind them, I saw how Alberta wore her hair in a short, pixie cut that showed her promise mark and molnija marks. A lot of female guardians did this. It didn't matter so much for me now, since my neck had no tattoos yet, but I didn't want to ever cut my hair._

Good, I didn't ever want Rose to cut her hair. No matter if I couldn't love her because of the horrible things I did to Rose I did still care for her and I knew if she kept pushing then I would say something to ruin our past and that was too precious to ruin.

_She and Dimitri didn't say anything and walked along almost like it was any other day. When we arrived, the reactions of my peers indicated it was anything but. They were in the middle of setting up when we entered the gym, and just like in the commons, all eyes fell on me. I couldn't decide if I felt like a rock star or a circus freak._

_All right, then. If I was going to be stuck here for a while, I wasn't going to act afraid of them all anymore. Lissa and I had once held this school's respect, and it was time to remind everyone of that. Scanning the staring, open mouthed novices, I looked for a familiar face. Most of them were guys. One caught my eye, and I could barely hold back my grin._

_"Hey Mason, wipe the drool off your face. If you're going to think about me naked, do it on your own time."_

Rose sucked in a breath and I could see in her eyes that she stilled blamed herself for her friend dying. My poor Roza. No Dimitri, shes not yours. Shes Ivashkovs now.

_A few snorts and snickers broke the awed silence, and Mason Ashford snapped out of his haze, giving me a lopsided smile. With red hair that stuck up everywhere and a smattering of freckles, he was nice-looking, though not exactly hot. He was also one of the funniest guys I knew. We'd been good friends back in the day._

Viktoria snorted, " Really ,Rose, back in the day?" I shook my head and smiled to myself. Rose was a character. She was smart, funny, brave, could come up with a witty line just like that… I kept envisioning dirty senorios that I could get her to be open to me, preferably with her screaming my name. I tuned back in right around that Rose admitted that she didn't know something. That is a first.

_"Come on, Hathaway," he said, taking my arm. "You can be my partner. Let's see what you've been doing all this time."_

_An hour later, he had his answer._

_"Not practicing, huh?"_

_"Ow," I groaned, momentarily incapable of normal speech._

_He extended a hand and helped me up from the mat he'd knocked me down on—about fifty times._

_"I hate you," I told him, rubbing a spot on my thigh that was going to have a wicked bruise tomorrow._

_"You'd hate me more if I held back."_

_"Yeah, that's true," I agreed, staggering along as the class put the equipment back._

_"You actually did okay."_

_"What? I just had my ass handed to me."_

_"Well, of course you did. It's been two years. But hey, you're still walking. That's something." He grinned mockingly._

_"Did He flashed me another smile, which quickly faded to something more serious. "Don't take this the wrong way…I mean, you really are a scrapper, but there's no way you'll be able to take your trials in the spring—"_

_"They're making me take extra practice sessions," I explained. Not that it mattered. I planned on getting Lissa and me out of here before these practices really became an issue. "I'll be ready."_

_"Extra sessions with who?"_

_"That tall guy. Dimitri."_

_Mason stopped walking and stared at me. "You're putting in extra time with Belikov?"_

_"Yeah, so what?"_

_"So the man is a god."_

I had an aha moment. So that was where she got it from. I voiced what I just thought and Rose respond with something that surprised me she said, "Yeah, but that was really the all round opinion." She kicked Adrian slightly to have him start reading again.

_"Exaggerate much?" I asked._

_"No, I'm serious. I mean, he's all quiet and antisocial usually, but when he fights…wow. If you think you're hurting now, you're going to be dead when he's done with you."_

_Great. Something else to improve my day._

_I elbowed him and went on to second period. That class covered the essentials of being a bodyguard and was required for all seniors. Actually, it was the third in a series that had started junior year. That meant I was behind in this class too, but I hoped protecting Lissa in the real world had given me some insight._

_Our instructor was Stan Alto, whom we referred to simply as "Stan" behind his back and "Guardian Alto" in formal settings. He was a little older than Dimitri, but not nearly as tall, and he always looked pissed off. Today, that look intensified when he walked into the classroom and saw me sitting there. His eyes widened in mock surprise as he circled the room and came to stand beside my desk._

_"What's this? No one told me we had a guest speaker here today. Rose Hathaway. What a privilege! How very generous of you to take time out of your busy schedule and share your knowledge with us."_

_I felt my cheeks burning, but in a great show of self-control, I stopped myself from telling him to fuck off. I'm pretty sure my face must have delivered that message, however, because his sneer increased. He gestured for me to stand up._

Uh. I forgot how annoying Stan was. I have never seen red anytime but I saw it when he put Rose on spot. I fantasized about 11 different ways to kill Stan and missed some of the story.

_"Sometimes." That was true—especially when we'd first run away. We'd relaxed a little after months went by with no attacks._

_"Sometimes," he repeated in a high-pitched voice, making my answer sound incredibly stupid. "Well then, I suppose you slept during the day and stayed on guard at night."_

_"Er…no."_

_"No? But that's one of the first things mentioned in the chapter on solo guarding. Oh wait, you wouldn't know that because you weren't here."_

_I swallowed back more swear words. "I watched the area whenever we went out," I said, needing to defend myself._

_"Oh? Well that's something. Did you use Carnegie's Quadrant Surveillance Method or the Rotational Survey?"_

_I didn't say anything._

_"Ah. I'm guessing you used the Hathaway Glance-Around-When-You-Remember-To Method."_

I heard a gasp and whipped my head around to look at Janie. She looked like she was about to rip someones head off. Rose started laughing and I had no idea why. She voiced what was going on in her head. "She takes offense to that," she explained, "She's a Hathaway too." We all rolled our eyes and continued reading.

_"No!" I exclaimed angrily. "That's not true. I watched her. She's still alive, isn't she?"_

_He walked back up to me and leaned toward my face. "Because you got lucky."_

_"Strigoi aren't lurking around every corner out there," I shot back. "It's not like what we've been taught. It's safer than you guys make it sound."_

_"Safer? Safer? We are at war with the Strigoi!" he yelled. I could smell coffee on his breath, he was so close. "One of them could walk right up to you and snap your pretty little neck before you even noticed him—and he'd barely break a sweat doing it. You might have more speed and strength than a Moroi or a human, but you are nothing, nothing, compared to a Strigoi. They are deadly, and they are powerful. And do you know what makes them more powerful?"_

_No way was I going to let this jerk make me cry. Looking away from him, I tried to focus on something else. My eyes rested on Dimitri and the other guardians. They were watching my humiliation, stone-faced._

Oh, Roza. My Roza doesn't cry. I just wanted to hold her close and take the pain away, even if it is the past. I just kept repeating the words 'Roza I love you' 'I love you'.

_Two classes later, I finally earned my lunch escape. As I stumbled across campus toward the commons, Dimitri fell into step beside me, not looking particularly godlike—unless you counted his godly good looks._

Christian just looked at Rose, and looked, and looked. Then looked at Adrian and he started reading again.

_"I suppose you saw what happened in Stan's class?" I asked, not bothering with titles._

_"Yes."_

_"And you don't think that was unfair?"_

_"Was he right? Do you think you were fully prepared to protect Vasilisa?"_

_I looked down at the ground. "I kept her alive," I mumbled._

_"How did you do fighting against your classmates today?"_

_The question was mean. I didn't answer and knew I didn't need to. I'd had another training class after Stan's, and no doubt Dimitri had watched me get beat up there too._

_"If you can't fight them—"_

_"Yeah, yeah, I know," I snapped._

_He slowed his long stride to match my pain-filled one. "You're strong and fast by nature. You just need to keep yourself trained. Didn't you play any sports while you were gone?"_

_"Sure," I shrugged. "Now and then."_

_"You didn't join any teams?"_

_"Too much work. If I'd wanted to practice that much, I'd have stayed here."_

_He gave me an exasperated look. "You'll never be able to really protect the princess if you don't hone your skills. You'll always be lacking."_

_"I'll be able to protect her," I said fiercely._

_"You have no guarantees of being assigned to her, you know—for your field experience or after you graduate." Dimitri's voice was low and unapologetic. They hadn't given me a warm and fuzzy mentor. "No one wants to waste the bond—but no one's going to give her an inadequate guardian either. If you want to be with her, then you need to work for it. You have your lessons. You have me. Use us or don't. You're an ideal choice to guard Vasilisa when you both graduate—if you can prove you're worthy. I hope you will."_

_"Lissa, call her Lissa," I corrected. She hated her full name, much preferring the Americanized nickname._

_He walked away, and suddenly, I didn't feel like such a badass anymore._

She might not feel badass but she certainly was. I heard that she kicked major ass at trials even though I wasn't there. Oh how I wanted to be there, so bad. I still had the present I bought her for graduation. Alberta cme and gave it to me when she came and visited me after my restoration.

_"Mr. Dash-er, Your Highness. Hi."_

_I caught myself just in time, having nearly forgotten Moroi royal terms. I hadn't used them while living among humans. The Moroi chose their rulers from among twelve royal families. The eldest in the family got the title of "prince" or "princess." Lissa had gotten hers because she was the only one left in her line._

_"How was your first day?" he asked._

_"Not over yet." I tried to think of something conversational. "Are you visiting here for a while?"_

_"I'll be leaving this afternoon after I say hello to Natalie. When I heard Vasilisa—and you—had returned, I simply had to come see you."_

_I nodded, not sure what else to say. He was more Lissa's friend than mine_

Lissa huffed. "He is not my friend." My family looked very confused. Lissa crossed her arms and leaned into Christian. Rose answered my family's unanswered question. "It will be in the book."

_"I wanted to tell you…" He spoke hesitantly. "I understand the gravity of what you did, but I think Headmistress Kirova failed to acknowledge something. You did keep Vasilisa safe all this time. That is impressive."_

_"Well, it's not like I faced down Strigoi or anything," I said._

_"But you faced down some things?"_

_"Sure. The school sent psi-hounds once."_

_"Remarkable."_

_"Not really. Avoiding them was pretty easy."_

_He laughed. "I've hunted with them before. They aren't that easy to evade, not with their powers and intelligence." It was true. Psi-hounds were one of many types of magical creatures that wandered the world, creatures that humans never knew about or else didn't believe they'd really seen. The hounds traveled in packs and shared a sort of psychic communication that made them particularly deadly to their prey—as did the fact that they resembled mutant wolves. "Did you face anything else?"_

_I shrugged. "Little things here and there."_

_"Remarkable," he repeated._

_"Lucky, I think. It turns out I'm really behind in all this guardian stuff." I sounded just like Stan now._

Everyone in the room gasped. "The horror." commented Lissa.

_"You're a smart girl. You'll catch up. And you also have your bond."_

_I looked away. My ability to "feel" Lissa had been such a secret for so long, it felt weird to have others know about it._

_"The histories are full of stories of guardians who could feel when their charges were in danger," Victor continued._

_"I've made a hobby of studying up on it and some of the ancient ways. I've heard it's a tremendous asset."_

_"I guess." I shrugged. What a boring hobby, I thought, imagining him poring over prehistoric histories in some dank library covered in spiderwebs._

_Victor tilted his head, curiosity all over his face. Kirova and the others had had the same look when we'd mentioned our connection, like we were lab rats. "What is it like—if you don't mind me asking?"_

_"It's…I don't know. I just sort of always have this hum of how she feels. Usually it's just emotions. We can't send messages or anything." I didn't tell him about slipping into her head. That part of it was hard even for me to understand._

_"But it doesn't work the other way? She doesn't sense you?"_

_I shook my head._

_His face shone with wonder. "How did it happen?"_

_"I don't know," I said, still glancing away. "Just started two years ago."_

_He frowned. "Near the time of the accident?"_

Rose groaned. "He basically told me everything." I nodded my head in understanding and to answer everyione elses questioning looks she told Adrain to read.

_Hesitantly, I nodded. The accident was not something I wanted to talk about, that was for sure. Lissa's memories were bad enough without my own mixing into them. Twisted metal. A sensation of hot, then cold, then hot again. Lissa screaming over me, screaming for me to wake up, screaming for her parents and her brother to wake up. None of them had, only me._

_And the doctors said that was a miracle in itself. They said I shouldn't have survived._

I interanlly shuddered. I couldn't picture a world without my Roza.

_Apparently sensing my discomfort, Victor let the moment go and returned to his earlier excitement._

_"I can still barely believe this. It's been so long since this has happened. If it did happen more often…just think what it could do for the safety of all Moroi. If only others could experience this too. I'll have to do more research and see if we can replicate it with others."_

_"Yeah." I was getting impatient, despite how much I liked him. Natalie rambled a lot, and it was pretty clear which parent she'd inherited that quality from. Lunch was ticking down, and although Moroi and novices shared afternoon classes, Lissa and I wouldn't have much time to talk._

_"Perhaps we could—" He started coughing, a great, seizing fit that made his whole body shake. His disease, Sandovsky's Syndrome, took the lungs down with it while dragging the body toward death. I cast an anxious look at his guardians, and one of them stepped forward. "Your Highness," he said politely, "you need to go inside. It's too cold out here."_

_Victor nodded. "Yes, yes. And I'm sure Rose here wants to eat." He turned to me. "Thank you for speaking to me. I can't emphasize how much it means to me that Vasilisa is safe—and that you helped with that. I'd promised her father I'd look after her if anything happened to him, and I felt like quite the failure when you left."_

_A sinking sensation filled my stomach as I imagined him wracked with guilt and worry over our disappearance. Until now, I hadn't really thought about how others might have felt about us leaving._

_We made our goodbyes, and I finally arrived inside the school. As I did, I felt Lissa's anxiety spike. Ignoring the pain in my legs, I picked up my pace into the commons._

_And nearly ran right into her._

_She didn't see me, though. Neither did the people standing with her: Aaron and that little doll girl. I stopped and listened, just catching the end of the conversation. The girl leaned toward Lissa, who seemed more stunned than anything else._

_"It looks to me like it came from a garage sale. I thought a precious Dragomir would have standards." Scorn dripped off the word Dragomir._

_Grabbing Doll Girl by the shoulder, I jerked her away. She was so light, she stumbled three feet and nearly fell._

_"She does have standards," I said, "which is why you're done talking to her."_

"Really, Rose, Doll Girl?" Lissa just smiled and shook her head. Rose laughed and flipped that hair that I totally love. "Yep." she said with that smile. I was staring. I realized that I was falling for this girl again.

_A/N So what do you think? please, please, please R&R. _


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N I think that I will be switching back and forth between povs for this story. Love it, hate it, maybe. Tell Me! __**Disclaimer: I don't own VA **__P.S. Sorry it has been so long since I updated._

Rose Pov

I sighed and sat back against the couch. These books were really wearing my patience thin. Going back through these past emotions is making me realize that I am or never was in to Adrian. And was it just me or was Dimitri staring at me? God, this was so confusing. Feeling a headache coming on I rubbed my temple with the tips of my fingers.

I was tired, hungry, missed Eddie and Mia. "Why don't we call it a night?" Everyone stood up and said goodbye and left. Well, everyone except Dimitri. Which left me in the room alone with Dimitri.

Should I leave, say something, or throw up? Probably not the later. I started going around the room and cleaning up. Dimitri started helping me and soon we were done. During cleaning up we did not speak one word to each other. I gathered up my phone and things and turn to leave. Dimitri, however, had other ideas.

He blocked the door and looked like he wanted to say something. I inwardly sighed. Really now? I'm tired! "Dimitri, I don't want to hear how much your hate me or that I should never talk to you again," he opened his mouth presumably to say something but I held up my hand, "I'm tired and with Adrain. I'm over you." No I wasn't.

I walked home and cried for Dimitri and me, for what we had, for what we will never have again, and for all the happy moments training, laughing, and running.

The next morning after a shower and hot breakfast I walked into the meeting room where Lissa, Christian, Dimitri, his siblings, Olena, Adrian, Mia, Eddie, my mom, my dad, Alberta, and Sydney were- Wait _Sydney_. As in Sydney Sydney? I thought she was in Russia. Oh well, weirder things have happened. I picked up the book and handed it to Christian. I then sat down between Victoria and Olena on their request and Dimitri's disapproval. Christian started reading.

_WE DIDN'T HAVE THE ENTIRE commons' attention this time, thank God, but a few passing people had stopped to stare._

_"What the hell do you think you're doing?" asked Doll Girl, blue eyes wide and sparkling with fury. Up close now, I was able to get a better look at her. She had the same slim build as most Moroi but not the usual height, which was partly what made her look so young. The tiny purple dress she wore was gorgeous—reminding me that I was indeed dressed in thrift-shop wear—but closer inspection led me to think it was a designer knockoff._

Mia snorted and rolled her eyes, "Oh thanks Rose."

_I crossed my arms across my chest. "Are you lost, little girl? The elementary school's over on west campus."_

_A pink flush spread over her cheeks. "Don't you ever touch me again. You screw with me, and I'll screw you right back."_

_Oh man, what an opening that was. Only a head shake from Lissa stopped me from unleashing any number of hilarious comebacks. Instead, I opted for simple brute force, so to speak._

"Thats never a good sign," says Alberta. I feinted hurt.

_"And if you mess with either of us again, I'll break you in half. If you don't believe me, go ask Dawn Yarrow about what I did to her arm in ninth grade. You were probably at nap time when it happened."_

"Rose that is not something to brang about," says my mother.

"Oh, come on Janie, I'm proud of her," said a very smug Abe.

_The incident with Dawn hadn't been one of my finer moments. I honestly hadn't expected to break any bones when I shoved her into a tree. Still, the incident had given me a dangerous reputation, in addition to my smartass one. The story had gained legendary status, and I liked to imagine that it was still being told around campfires late at night. Judging from the look on this girl's face, it was._

_One of the patrolling staff members strolled by right then, casting suspicious eyes at our little meeting. Doll Girl backed off, taking Aaron's arm. "Come on," she said._

_"Hey, Aaron," I said cheerfully, remembering he was there. "Nice to see you again."_

_He gave me a quick nod and an uneasy smile, just as the girl dragged him off. Same old Aaron. He might be nice and cute, but aggressive he was not._

_I turned to Lissa. "You okay?" She nodded. "Any idea who I just threatened to beat up?"_

"You don't even know who you threaten before you do it? I see a family resemblance." Christian, the smart ass, said this.

_"Not a clue." I started to lead her toward the lunch line, but she shook her head at me. "Gotta go see the feeders."_

_A funny feeling settled over me. I'd gotten so used to being her primary blood source that the thought of returning to the Moroni's normal routine seemed strange. In fact, it almost bothered me. It shouldn't have. Daily feedings were part of a Moroi's life, something I hadn't been able to offer her while living on our own. It had been an inconvenient situation, one that left me weak on feeding days and her weak on the days in between. I should have been happy she would get some normality._

_I forced a smile. "Sure."_

Out of the corner of my eye I see Dimitri staring at me. With the tiniest of head movements that even I'm not sure if I saw right, he gestured to the kitchen. I nodded my head in the same microscopist way and stood up.

"What do you want to talk about?" I asked Dimitri.

"I was just wondering how you were doing."

"Oh, so now you actually care? You didn't seem to care when you were turned back." I snapped at him but I was actually hurt.

"I alway cared! Don't you see that?!" I winced because he basically just yelled in my face. I was speechless. I just kept opening and closing my mouth like a fish. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I've alway loved you Rose, the feelings were just muted when I was turned back," he sagged then stiffened again, "But its too late."

"What? Why is it too late?"

"Because your with Adrian." he sounded defeated. I've never heard Dimitri sound so hopeless and it tore me apart. He cut me off before I could say anything.

"I know that you're with him and I'm not trying to ask for you back . I just wanted you to know how I feel." He attempted to walk out of the room but I caught his arm.

"Dimitri, I love you. I have always loved you. I don't care that I'm with Adrian. He is looking at Sydney anyway," I took a deep breath to continue but Dimitri rushed forward and caught my lips with his. I missed his kisses. They were warm and full of life. I wrapped my arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. We broke away breathing heavy and I leaned into his chest.

"What are we going to do?" I whispered.

. "I don't know," he said, "I don't know"

_A/N What do you guys think? I know that we didn't finish the chapter but I figured that you would like a Rose and Dimitri conversation. Review _


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